diff --git a/src/core/channels.c b/src/core/channels.c
index 126c3b7e..5dd90c2e 100644
--- a/src/core/channels.c
+++ b/src/core/channels.c
@@ -129,6 +129,26 @@ CHANNEL_REC *channel_find(SERVER_REC *server, const char *name)
 				   (void *) name);
 }
 
+void channel_change_name(CHANNEL_REC *channel, const char *name)
+{
+	g_return_if_fail(IS_CHANNEL(channel));
+
+	g_free(channel->name);
+	channel->name = g_strdup(name);
+
+	signal_emit("channel name changed", 1, channel);
+}
+
+void channel_change_visible_name(CHANNEL_REC *channel, const char *name)
+{
+	g_return_if_fail(IS_CHANNEL(channel));
+
+	g_free(channel->visible_name);
+	channel->visible_name = g_strdup(name);
+
+	signal_emit("window item name changed", 1, channel);
+}
+
 static CHANNEL_REC *channel_find_servers(GSList *servers, const char *name)
 {
 	return gslist_foreach_find(servers,
diff --git a/src/core/channels.h b/src/core/channels.h
index ff121a2c..0839d69b 100644
--- a/src/core/channels.h
+++ b/src/core/channels.h
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ void channel_destroy(CHANNEL_REC *channel);
 /* find channel by name, if `server' is NULL, search from all servers */
 CHANNEL_REC *channel_find(SERVER_REC *server, const char *name);
 
+void channel_change_name(CHANNEL_REC *channel, const char *name);
+void channel_change_visible_name(CHANNEL_REC *channel, const char *name);
+
 /* Send the auto send command to channel */
 void channel_send_autocommands(CHANNEL_REC *channel);
 
diff --git a/src/core/expandos.c b/src/core/expandos.c
index 6f0f392d..67a9d269 100644
--- a/src/core/expandos.c
+++ b/src/core/expandos.c
@@ -643,7 +643,9 @@ void expandos_init(void)
 		       "window server changed", EXPANDO_ARG_WINDOW, NULL);
 	expando_create("itemname", expando_itemname,
 		       "window changed", EXPANDO_ARG_NONE,
-		       "window item changed", EXPANDO_ARG_WINDOW, NULL);
+		       "window item changed", EXPANDO_ARG_WINDOW,
+		       "window item name changed", EXPANDO_ARG_WINDOW_ITEM,
+		       NULL);
 
 	read_settings();
 
diff --git a/src/core/settings.h b/src/core/settings.h
index e0df975a..fdff3801 100644
--- a/src/core/settings.h
+++ b/src/core/settings.h
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ typedef struct {
 #define iconfig_get_str(a, b, c) config_get_str(mainconfig, a, b, c)
 #define iconfig_get_int(a, b, c) config_get_int(mainconfig, a, b, c)
 #define iconfig_get_bool(a, b, c) config_get_bool(mainconfig, a, b, c)
-#define iconfig_list_find(a, b, c, d) config_list_find(mainconfig, a, b, c, d)
 
 #define iconfig_set_str(a, b, c) config_set_str(mainconfig, a, b, c)
 #define iconfig_set_int(a, b, c) config_set_int(mainconfig, a, b, c)
diff --git a/src/irc/core/channel-events.c b/src/irc/core/channel-events.c
index 02fe0242..6b474097 100644
--- a/src/irc/core/channel-events.c
+++ b/src/irc/core/channel-events.c
@@ -236,8 +236,18 @@ static void event_join(IRC_SERVER_REC *server, const char *data, const char *nic
 		shortchan = g_strdup_printf("!%s", channel+6);
 		chanrec = channel_find_unjoined(server, shortchan);
 		if (chanrec != NULL) {
+			channel_change_name(CHANNEL(chanrec), channel);
 			g_free(chanrec->name);
 			chanrec->name = g_strdup(channel);
+		} else {
+			/* well, did we join it with full name? if so, and if
+			   this was the first short one, change it's name. */
+			chanrec = channel_find_unjoined(server, channel);
+			if (chanrec != NULL &&
+			    irc_channel_find(server, shortchan) == NULL) {
+				channel_change_visible_name(CHANNEL(chanrec),
+							    shortchan);
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/irc/core/irc-channels.c b/src/irc/core/irc-channels.c
index d6acf6ae..5adf5fb1 100644
--- a/src/irc/core/irc-channels.c
+++ b/src/irc/core/irc-channels.c
@@ -149,12 +149,11 @@ static CHANNEL_REC *irc_channel_find_server(SERVER_REC *server,
 		if (rec->chat_type != server->chat_type)
                         continue;
 
+		/* check both !ABCDEchannel and !channel */
 		if (g_strcasecmp(channel, rec->name) == 0)
 			return rec;
 
-                /* check after removing ABCDE from !ABCDEchannel */
-		if (*channel == '!' && *rec->name == '!' &&
-		    g_strcasecmp(channel+1, rec->name+6) == 0)
+		if (g_strcasecmp(channel, rec->visible_name) == 0)
 			return rec;
 	}